Call For Government Review of 20 Hours ECE Funding

The New Zealand Home-based
Education and Learning Organisation, HELO is calling for an
urgent Government review into its 20 hours Early Childcare
Education policy.

HELO president Jenny Yule said
inconsistent practices within the ECE sector, which had led
to some families paying compulsory fees, showed the policy
is not clear.

“HELO would like the Ministry to go back
to the drawing board and to really think about what it wants
to achieve by 20 Hours ECE.”

“It is unclear
whether the policy is to provide for a higher rate of
subsidy to ECE services, or to provide families with free
childcare and education for 3-4 year olds,“ Ms Yule
said.

HELO advocates that a higher rate of subsidy was
more appropriate to encourage and promote accessibility and
affordability and increase the ECE participation rates,
particularly for at risk children.

“However, if it is
truly meant to be free, then the Government needs to provide
for that rather than expect Early Childhood services or
families to pick up the shortfall” Ms Yule said.

She
also called on the Ministry to be fairer in how it allocated
funding.

Home-based early childcare and education
services should receive the same level of funding as
centre-based.

“The home based model can make the
greatest impact across the board, by raising young children
in loving supportive home environments, and in areas with
the highest need such as rural areas, communities high in
Māori and Pacific ethnicities and lower demographic
areas.”

“It’s time to recognise and support the
benefits that can naturally flow on through our education,
health and welfare systems when we put our money back into
creating safe homes, and invest in emotional growth and
security for our children from birth,” she said.

HELO
members encourage families to shop around, not only to
consider what is affordable, but what is best for their
child.

Ms Yule says the decision a parent makes on early
childcare education is the one of the most important for
providing their child with the strongest foundation to set
them up for life.

“The relationships that a child
builds with a primary carer to support the wiring up of the
brain is critical to the development of social and emotional
competence.“

“Home-based education and care relies on
smaller child-adult ratios, than centres to provide the best
foundation for healthy child and adolescent development.”

ENDS

The Home Early Learning Organisation (HELO)
comprises founding members PORSE, PAUA, Au Pair Link and
Home Grown Kids; four of the largest home-based providers in
the home-based ECE sector. HELO’s members cater to more
than 50% of the children enrolled in home-based services
nationwide.

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